Theology beyond the shoreline

Jesus on every page: book review

For those of you who know Dr. Murray from either Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, his Head-heart-hand blog or his podcast with Tim Challies, his name alone is associated with winsome and thoughtful critique as well as heart-felt love for people and worshipful love of Jesus and the gospel (plus a super-cool Scottish accent!)

One of the many keys to the real success of this book is that – like a true teacher/professor – Dr. Murray doesn’t just show us examples of Christ all throughout the OT and say, “Hey, isn’t that cool?” Instead, he show us how we can do the same thing for ourselves! And (in so doing) he pastors all who read his book very well.

Dr. Murray begins his book by taking us all on a journey down his own “Emmaus road” of sorts as he describes his own fear of the OT and proclivity towards preaching the NT and then how, like those fortunate disciples in Luke 24, he too began to see how all the Law and the prophets testified to this Jesus and His gospel as well. In walking Dr. Murray’s road, we too have our eyes opened to this reality, the result of which (for me) was worship of, and greater love for, Jesus.

Then, like those same disciples, Dr. Murray seeks to create that same “spiritual heartburn” in our own hearts as he walk us through only some of the many appearances and longing hopes for the coming Messiah, Jesus in the OT. Again, he does this in such a way that it both inspires the heart of the preacher as well as kindling the love for Christ in every heart in which He dwells. The overwhelming feeling i had after reading this book was that it created a holy curiosity and desire to find even moreof what Dr. Murray shows throughout his book.

Some of the most highlighted and underlined chapters in this book for me were the from the “My own Emmaus” section as well as the “Christ’s prophets” chapter. There is much more in this book than could be gained by one reading – that is for certain.

One of the other helpful elements of this book is the chapter questions Dr. Murray provides for each chapter, which aid in both individual study as well possible use in a group study of the book.

And that, as well, is one of the exemplary treasures of this book: it is accessible in language and questioning, and so could be used on a lay level by a small group or specific study. But it is also deep and scholarly enough to inspire and encourage any pastor/theology student in their own pursuit of Christ and desire to preach Him from the entirety of the Scriptures.

I would highly recommend this book to all who know and are known by Jesus. It will bring about the very same “heartburn” those disciples felt in Luke 24 in finding Jesus all throughout the OT, while enabling and inspiring you to seek and find more of the same in your own reading and study.

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So, for those who read this review and are willing to comment, I so believe in this book, that i will offer one free copy of Dr. Murray’s book to be randomly drawn from the names of all who do comment. Draw will take place on Sept. 30th, 2013.

You can also learn more about “Jesus on every page” here at the official website or get it on Amazon here.

This book has been on my reading list since I first heard of it, and I am now even more inclined to dive in when I get my hands on a copy. The issue of seeing, appreciating, worshipping, and preaching Jesus in the Old Testament is of great interest to me. I come out of a theological background which does a great job stressing the importance of the Old Testament but seems to fear that seeing “Jesus on every page” requires one must abandon a normative reading of the text and therein foster ‘spiritualizing,’ ‘allegorizing,’ or, God forbid, subscribing to the possibility of sensus plenior.

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